Maine lawmakers still cannot agree on bonds, campaign finance fix

We expected the Maine Legislature to run late on Thursday night, but lawmakers left anticlimactically just after 6:30 p.m. after sending bills to Gov. Paul LePage and spiking many others.

Good morning from Augusta. We expected the Maine Legislature to run late on Thursday night, but lawmakers left anticlimactically just after 6:30 p.m. after sending bills to Gov. Paul LePage and spiking many others. But fights remain to be settled around Clean Election money and bonds.

The main goal of this year’s special session — a spending package — is on the governor’s desk. Disagreement over a spending package spoiled this year’s regular legislative session, leading lawmakers to adjourn in May with it left unfinished.

Since then, lawmakers have endorsed a $42 million package to fund services for Mainers who are disabled, expand opioid addiction treatment, fund lead abatement and address a shortfall in the Child Development Services program and a $26 million package to increase reimbursement rates for services for people with intellectual disabilities or autism and fund county jails.